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Regular readers will recall the Amtrak Alco FAs I picked up in Springfield a couple of weeks ago...

 

To say that the couplers on the things were a trifle long would be like asserting water was mildly damp:

 

GEDC1815

So, I set out to Do Something about the situation, with an eye to closing the approximately ten scale foot back-to-back gap between the FAs...

 

Here's the rear truck dismounted:

 

GEDC1816

And dismantled:

 

GEDC1817

On researching the subject, I came upon a thread here on OGRR which mentioned using MTH dummy couplers from a subway car to close up the gap.  By happy coincidence, I have an MTH subway car knocking about the residence:

 

GEDC1818

Since its primary raison d' etre is to be a flatcar load, I reasoned that it could perform that task quite satisfactorily sans couplers.  To think was to act, and I soon had a pair of short-shanked dummy couplers with which to Do Things to the Alcos... 

 

Here's a preliminary fit.  Nearly perfect! 

 

GEDC1819

A little Dremel work with a sanding drum, and voila! 

 

GEDC1820

A WIP comparison of old and new couplers: 

 

GEDC1821

The new coupler installed and body shell test fit:

 

GEDC1822

Before and after:

 

GEDC1823

The completed consist.  Still not prototypical, but we ARE dealing with O27 locos, here, and this IS a decided improvement...

 

GEDC1824

And the finished product in action: 

 

https://ogrforum.com/f...5169210/GEDC1825.MOV

 

Hope this helps someone! 

Mitch

 

 

 

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  • GEDC1820
  • GEDC1821
  • GEDC1822
  • GEDC1823
  • GEDC1824
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Last edited by M. Mitchell Marmel
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Originally Posted by M. Mitchell Marmel:

 

On researching the subject, I came upon a thread here on OGRR which mentioned using MTH dummy couplers from a subway car to close up the gap.  By happy coincidence, I have an MTH subway car knocking about the residence:

 

GEDC1818

Since its primary raison d' etre is to be a flatcar load, I reasoned that it could perform that task quite satisfactorily sans couplers.  To think was to act, and I soon had a pair of short-shanked dummy couplers with which to Do Things to the Alcos... 

 

 

Hmm 6899, is that. Looks like an R17

 

Funny thing about this car being perched atop a flatcar, I believe the R17's were put into service during the era when subway cars were delivered on their own wheels behind freight trains. 

 

Of course that era had long ended when R17's were being painted into the MOW scheme, so one could see this from both directions

 

---PCJ

Last edited by RailRide

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